Not for the first time, LG and Samsung are in competition to be crowned most innovative display manufacturer. At CES 2014 both manufacturers were showing a curved Ultra HD TV with a screen size of 105 inches, and a resolution of 5,120 × 2,160 pixels in 21:9 format.

Curved 105 inch screens

The announcements from LG and Samsung could not be more similar. At the LG stand:

“The LG is the first curved 105 inch Ultra HD TV in the world at CES 2014″

Similarly, Samsung said in their press release:

“Samsung unveiled the world’s first, largest and most curved 105 inch UHD TV”

Both had recently shown new curved models at IFA with the LG 77 inch putting the Samsung 55 inch model in the shade.

The OLED technology used in the announced models is, however, not present at CES 2014. LG says that its 105UB9 is explicitly driven by an LCD panel. Samsung does not address the type of display technology, though, while in the past, OLED technology was advertised, we now see that a return to LCD is more than likely. LG say that for LCD panels to be used on a curved surface, the pixel circuit of the thin film transistor (TFT) has been refined in order to prevent loss of colour and to ensure high image quality irrespective of the viewing angle.

Samsung only speaks of a further updated, curved panel and a new, proprietary algorithm for image quality, better colors and is intended to provide a “greater sense of depth”. The “Quad Automatic Picture Engine” will be applied to all content so that it will be presented in an image quality to “UHD-Level.”

Both producers must therefore share the title of the world’s largest curved UHD TV.